How to cut your water bill, as firms warn of looming charges for tackling sewage pollution crisis

Household water bills will go up this year to pay for water companies’ £10bn investment in reducing sewage pollution.

But there may be a way to beat the hikes, with little-known water bill discounts for eligible households.

Water companies have come under fire because of massive overflows of wastewater into rivers and the sea. They recently confirmed a £10bn investment for works to mitigate the problem. Some will be paid for by shareholders, but some will be paid for by consumers.

Water companies will confirm the exact amount of the bill increases later this year, This is Money understands.

But the news has angered some households, who feel they’re effectively paying twice for something that should already cover their water bill.

Commenting on the news that consumers will be charged extra, a spokesperson for the Consumer Council for Water said: ‘As one in five people already struggle to pay their water bills, we are concerned that this could push many more households into water poverty. .

“Currently, customers who cannot afford their water bills face a zip code lottery of water company support programs without a consistent level of assistance.”

Emma Clancy, chief executive of the CCW, added: “Investments will ultimately impact customers’ bills.

“Water companies will need to operate much more efficiently, but we also need a comprehensive baseline of financial support for one in five households that are already struggling to pay their bills.”

How to lower your water bill

Customers may be able to avoid some or all of the additional costs later this year, with discounts of up to £100 possible.

Exactly what you get, however, depends on your water consumption and how much of your water bill will go up this year to pay for water company sewage works.

It also depends on which of the 13 UK water companies you are with, as each takes a different approach to calculating these rebates.

But in short, it is possible to get a discount on your water bill if:

a) Your home is not connected to the public sewer system

b) You can demonstrate that the water from your home does not end up in the public sewer system.

This is how it works. There are two main elements to water bills, water and sewage, each of which makes up about 50 percent of an annual bill.

water costs for the fresh water that comes out of your taps.

Sewage charges for the water you use that goes back into the system as waste to be treated.

If the water companies decide that this year’s increase should come from the water costs of the bill, households cannot ignore it.

But if water companies apply the markup to the sewage portion of a bill, it’s possible to dodge part or all of it.

That’s because if your property isn’t connected to the public sewer system, you can request a rebate from your water company — a form of reimbursement.

For example Londoners can receive a discount of up to 90 percent on the sewerage part of their bill.

To get this, households must prove to Thames Water that more than 10 percent of the water they use is not returned to a public sewer.

If you can prove that 50 percent of the water you use is not returned to a Thames Water sewer, you can get a 40 percent discount on your sewer bill.

That’s because Thames Water will start giving discounts as soon as more than 10 percent of customers’ water does not reach the sewer system.

The average unmetered Thames Water customer pays £428 a year for water, of which £219 is for sewage and £209 for fresh water.

That means this example customer would save 40 per cent of £219 or £87.60.

Other discounts on the water bill

A second discount is available if the surface water from your home does not enter the public sewer system.

This is also referred to as ‘discharge discount for surface water’.

Each water company has slightly different rules about how these discounts work.

For example, South West Water will give you a five percent discount on the sewer portion of the water bill for water that doesn’t drain into their sewer, provided you have a meter.

This works out to about £11 a year for the average customer.

There is also a second extra discount of € 21.79 on your annual fixed sewage charge if you are not connected to the surface water drainage at all.

If you are eligible for these discounts, no costs for sewerage or surface water drainage will be charged on future invoices and/or you will be refunded part of the amount you previously paid for this.

Each water company must explain what kind of evidence it needs to get a discount.

If you have problems with your application and you and your company cannot resolve it, you must do so please contact the CCW.

Other ways you can lower your water bill

Check if a water meter can save you money

You cannot switch to a cheaper water supplier, but having a water meter installed can make your bills cheaper.

If you live in a household that doesn’t use a lot of water, you can save money by switching to a water meter.

It may also be worth switching to a meter if your property has a high council tax value, as some water bills are based on this.

But having a water meter installed can also mean your bills go up, not down.

A good rule of thumb is that you could pay less if there are fewer people in your home than there are bedrooms, according to the charity Citizens Advice.

The CCW has one free water meter calculator that tells you if you can save money with a water meter.

It asks questions about your water usage and gives you your estimated cost if you have a meter.

If you find that you are no better off after switching to a meter, you can usually switch back to how the bill was paid before within twelve months.

Anglian Water says having a sub meter on an external supply such as a garden tap can also help lower your bill.

Because the water you use in the garden doesn’t go down the drain, your water company can adjust the amount you pay for sewer services once you tell it the submeter reading.

Use less water

There are also little things you can do around the house every day to save money on your water bill.

The CCW says cutting your daily shower from 10 to five minutes could save you nearly £200 a year if you have a water meter.

Do not leave the tap running while brushing your teeth. A tap that runs continuously wastes about six liters of water per minute. You can save around £30 a year if you don’t, while a four-person household can save £100.

Boiling just the kettle with the exact amount of water you need is an easy way to save up to £60 a year.